Burleigh Grimes vs Walter Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Walter Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Burleigh Grimes played 1916–1934 as a pitcher; Walter Johnson played 1907–1927 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Walter Johnson (1907–1927) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Walter Johnson finished with 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Walter Johnson, with 417 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP? Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Walter Johnson, with 5,914.2 to Burleigh Grimes's 4,180.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Walter Johnson, with 110 to Burleigh Grimes's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Walter Johnson, with 124,021 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Burleigh Grimes
Walter Johnson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1910s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Burleigh Grimes | Walter Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 270 | Leads: 417 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 279 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 802 |
| Games Started | 497 | Leads: 666 |
| Complete Games | 314 | Leads: 531 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 110 |
| Saves | 18 | Leads: 34 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | Leads: 3,509 |
| Walks not scored | 1,295 | 1,363 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,412 | 4,913 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 148 | 97 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,180.0 | Leads: 5,914.2 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 2.17 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 5.34 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 2.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Walter Johnson outpaces Burleigh Grimes 124,021 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 5,906 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Walter Johnson played 21 seasons to Burleigh Grimes's 23. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Burleigh Grimes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Walter Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Walter Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Burleigh Grimes owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Walter Johnson. PIV agrees: Walter Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Burleigh Grimes and Walter Johnson careers compare
From 1916 through 1927, Burleigh Grimes and Walter Johnson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Burleigh Grimes and 802 for Walter Johnson across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Walter Johnson. By rate, Burleigh Grimes struck out 3.26 and walked 2.79 per nine innings; Walter Johnson struck out 5.34 and walked 2.07. Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games), and Walter Johnson was mainly a starter (666 starts in 802 games). Walter Johnson allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.06 WHIP to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
Burleigh Grimes vs Walter Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Burleigh Grimes or Walter Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Walter Johnson leads Burleigh Grimes in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Walter Johnson, with 417 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.